Costco Wholesale Corp
Costco Wholesale's GHG Emissions Data Preview
In 2023, Costco Wholesale completed a corporate carbon footprint assessment and publicly disclosed its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to the GHG Protocol, covering Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy) and Scope 3 (indirect emissions across the value chain).
Costco Wholesale has also provided a category-level breakdown for 9 out of 15 Scope 3 emissions categories, offering greater transparency into its value chain emissions.
| Metric (tCO2e) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 - 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Scope 1 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 2 | ||||
Market-Based | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Location-Based | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 3 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 1 Revenue Intensity (tCO2e/$M) | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
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aVerified Sources Behind Costco Wholesale’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Data
Every figure on this dashboard has a transparent audit trail. With Tracenable, each data point is traceable back to its original source, viewable directly inside our platform. Explore Costco Wholesale’s data sources below and access millions more through our Disclosure Search.
Insights into Costco Wholesale's Operational Emissions
In 2023, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Costco Wholesale amounted to 2,879,478 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This figure includes both direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2). a
Compared to 2022, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Costco Wholesale increased by 1.69%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing its emissions from its core operations. a
Costco Wholesale's Scope 1 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 1
- Year-over-Year Change
What are Costco Wholesale's Scope 1 emissions?
In 2023, the total Scope 1 emissions of Costco Wholesale were 1,424,357 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e). a
Has Costco Wholesale reduced its Scope 1 emissions over time?
Since 2020, Costco Wholesale's Scope 1 emissions have increased by 18.14%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 1 emissions over time. a
Compared to the previous year (2022), Costco Wholesale's Scope 1 emissions increased by 1.33%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing emissions from its directly owned or controlled operations. a
What are Costco Wholesale's Scope 2 emissions?
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 1,336,087 tCO₂e using the market-based method and 1,455,121 tCO₂e using the location-based method. a
Has Costco Wholesale reduced its Scope 2 emissions over time?
Since 2020, Costco Wholesale's Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ( Location-Based) have remained relatively stable, indicating that Costco Wholesale 's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its energy consumption footprint. a
Compared to the previous year (2022), Costco Wholesale's Scope 2 emissions (Location-Based) have remained relatively stable, indicating that Costco Wholesale 's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its energy consumption footprint. a
What methodology does Costco Wholesale use for Scope 2 reporting?
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported its Scope 2 emissions using the market-based method and using the location-based method. a
Costco Wholesale's Scope 2 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 2 Location-Based
- Total Scope 2 Market-Based
Insights into Costco Wholesale's Value Chain Emissions
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported 183,190,194 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing indirect emissions across its upstream and downstream value chain. a
The 2023 disclosure of Costco Wholesale includes a breakdown across 9 of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol, matching the level of disclosure in 2022, demonstrating consistent Scope 3 emissions reporting coverage year over year. a
Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 3
- Year-over-Year Change
What are Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 emissions?
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported total Scope 3 emissions of 183,190,194 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e). a
Approximately 56.04% of these emissions originated from upstream activities such as purchased goods and capital goods, while 43.96% came from downstream activities like product use, distribution, and end-of-life treatment. a
Has Costco Wholesale reduced its Scope 3 emissions over time?
Since 2020, Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 emissions have increased by 22.02%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 3 emissions over time. a
Compared to the previous year (2022), Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 emissions remained relatively stable, indicating that Costco Wholesale 's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its value chain footprint. a
What categories of Scope 3 emissions does Costco Wholesale disclose?
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported emissions for 9 out of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol. a
This partial disclosure allows for some insight into the company's indirect impacts.
What are the main sources of Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 emissions?
In 2023, the largest contributors to Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 emissions were: a
- Purchased Goods and Services (Cat. 1): 88,628,326 tCO₂e (48.38%)
- Use of Sold Products (Cat. 11): 80,524,565 tCO₂e (43.96%)
- Upstream Transportation and Distribution (Cat. 4): 10,138,394 tCO₂e (5.53%)
Costco Wholesale's Scope 3 Emissions by Categories
Insights into Costco Wholesale’s GHG Emissions Intensity Compared to Industry Peers
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 1,424,357 tCO₂e and total revenues of USD 242,291 millions. This translates into an emissions intensity of 5.88 tCO₂e per millions USD. a
Costco Wholesale's Scope 1 Emissions Intensity Compared to Peers
How does Costco Wholesale's GHG emissions intensity compare to its peers?
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported a Scope 1 emissions intensity of 5.88 tCO₂e per millions USD. Compared to the peer group median of 15.77 , this places the company below its industry benchmark, indicating it is more carbon-efficient than most competitors. a
Where does Costco Wholesale rank on GHG emissions intensity within its industry?
In 2023, Costco Wholesale ranked 5 out of 24 companies in its industry peer group, based on Scope 1 emissions intensity (measured in tCO₂e per millions USD). a
This places Costco Wholesale among the top performers, with one of the lowest emissions intensities relative to peers. a
Insights into Costco Wholesale's Total Carbon Footprint
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported a total carbon footprint of 186,069,672 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. This represents a 1.15% increase compared to 2022, suggesting a rise in emissions across its operations or value chain. a
The largest contributor to Costco Wholesale's total carbon footprint was Scope 3 emissions, accounting for 98.45% of the company's total carbon footprint, followed by Scope 2 emissions at 0.78%. a